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Thriler: Rihanna with teenage ambassadors from Save The Children on stage at Westfield Stratford
Picture: Dave Benett

Dave Benett

As one of the world’s most famous popstars Rihanna normally performs to crowds of tens of thousands when she visits London.

But last night, the Barbadian singer treated just a few hundred of her most loyal fans and celebrity friends to one of her most intimate gigs yet in the capital.

Guests - including designers Stella McCartney and Henry Holland, model Cara Delavigne and Radio 1 breakfast DJ Nick Grimshaw - were invited to the HMV Forum in Kentish Town as part of her 777 tour to celebrate the release of her seventh album, Unapologetic, in the UK.

The gig marked the penultimate leg of the seven-day tour which has so far has taken a small group of journalists and fans travelling with Rihanna, 24, on a Boeing 777 to Mexico City, Toronto, Stockholm, Paris and Berlin. The next stop is New York where she will perform on Wednesday.

Rihanna - who unusually was dressed in a demure white trouser suit which she later removed to reveal a leopard print cropped top - said London was the highlight of the tour so far.

She told the audience: “You guys are definitely something exciting because I think me and all of my 777 crew have been waiting to get here.”

After the gig, Rihanna’s musical director and bassist Adam Blackstone said London was their best audience yet.

He told the Standard: “It was great. It was the best night so far of the tour.”

The set - which lasted more than an hour and started just after 10pm - included old hits such as Umbrella and Man Down as well as her number one single We Found Love and songs from her new album, Stay and Diamonds.

Fans - some of whom had queued for eight hours for tickets - said it was the best Rihanna concert they had ever seen.

Caroline Rush, 41, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, attended the gig with her 16-year-old daughter Lana, who plays tennis for England.

Lana said: “It was awesome, it was so good. I’ve seen her a few times but tonight it was definitely better than before.”

Asanti Abaka, 18, a student from Beckenham, got into the gig after queuing for eight hours at the venue. She said: “We love Rihanna. We tried all week to win tickets but we couldn’t. Everything is cool about her, We love her, we love her music, she just doesn’t care.”

Zoe Sam, 17, a college student, won tickets through HTC, one of the tour’s sponsors. She said: “I saw Rihanna last year at Wireless, she was wicked.”